Historic Yates Mill County Park offers programs covering history, nature, agricultural and recreational topics. Public programs are open for registration to the general public.
Public Programs
Register for a Public Program
IN-PARK PUBLIC PROGRAMS
PARK TALES: For all ages (best for ages 6 and under); FREE. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment. Please arrive five minutes early for program check-in.
Park Tales: The Bugliest Bug
Thursday, May 16, 10–10:45 a.m.
Enjoy this children's book about a "bugliest bug" contest, featuring a variety of insects—and a group of spiders looking for a meal! Find out which bug saves the day, then discover the difference between insects and spiders, make crafts, and go on a scavenger hunt looking for bugs. Best for ages 6 & under; registration is required for all family members. Register here.
Hands-on History: How did people live while Yates Mill was operating as a business from the mid-1700s to the mid-1900s? These drop-in programs explore different aspects of life in the past.
Hands-On History: Map Making
Friday, May 10, 1–3 p.m.
How did people live while Yates Mill was operating as a business from the mid-1700s to the mid-1900s? Join us for a drop-in, hands-on activity to learn the history of maps in the area and make your own map of the park! This program will meet in the mill yard by Historic Yates Mill. For all ages; registration is not required, as this is a drop-in program.
Field School: Offered quarterly. For all ages (recommended for ages 7 and up); FREE. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment. Please arrive five minutes early for program check-in.
Check back for updates!
Yates Mill Ponderings: This wintertime program series offers more in-depth looks into topics of scientific and historical interest. Best for adults and older teens; FREE. Registration is required.
Check back in December!
Hike with a Naturalist: For all ages (recommended for ages 8 and up); FREE. Registration is required for all participants, and children must have adult accompaniment.
Hike with a Naturalist
Friday, May 31, 9–10:30 a.m.
Join one of our naturalist staff members on a guided hike around the park to see what we can find! Come prepared to hike at least a mile by wearing closed-toe shoes and bringing a full water bottle. Register here.
Yates by Night: Offered monthly, April–November. These evening programs offer visitors a chance to experience the park in the evening. For all ages; FREE. Registration required.
Yates by Night: Fairy Party
Friday, May 24, 6–7 p.m.
Have you ever seen a fairy at Yates Mill? Join us for a walk around the park to explore the places fairies might live, like lily pads, mushrooms, or logs! Learn about these magical habitats and be enchanted by nature. Make fairy-related crafts to take home. Fairy costumes welcomed! Best suited for children; adult accompaniment required. FREE. Register here.
History Hike: For all ages (recommended for ages 7 and up); FREE. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment. Please arrive five minutes early for program check-in. Offered in December, January and February.
Check back in December!
The City Nature Challenge
Sunday, April 28, 9 a.m.–noon
The City Nature Challenge is a worldwide event, and we need your help to find as many species in our park as possible! Come learn about iNaturalist and the City Nature Challenge, explore the park and then explore the pond with a Pond Party activity! Bring a phone or camera, full water bottle, and dress for a hike! For all ages; FREE. Registration is required for all participants, and children must have adult accompaniment. This program is part of the NC SciFest; for more information, visit ncsciencefestival.org. Register here.
Recreational Adventures
Canoeing and Fishing on the Pond
Saturday, May 11, 9:30-11 a.m.
Learn basic canoeing skills and a bit about the history of the millpond, then head out for a self-guided exploration of many features of the pond as seen only from the water. If you have a NC fishing license, you can also bring fishing poles and bait (note that minnows are not permitted as bait) so you can fish from the canoe! Canoes, paddles, and life jackets are provided (no outside boats are permitted); fishing equipment is not provided. This program is dependent on suitable weather conditions. For ages 5 and up (with an accompanying adult); FREE. Each canoe can hold 1-4 people (800-pound total weight limit). Registration PER BOAT is required. If you only need 1 boat, please register just 1 member of your group. Please call if you have questions. Register here.
Volunteer Interest Sessions
Volunteer Interest Sessions
Sunday, May 19, 9-11 a.m. and Tuesday, May 28, 10 a.m.–noon
Do you want to learn more about the different ways you can volunteer at Historic Yates Mill? Join us at our drop-in Volunteer Interest Sessions! Staff will be set up outside the A.E. Finley Center (or inside, depending on the weather). Registration not required.
Register for a Virtual Program
Virtual Programs: ecoEXPLORE Registration through North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. This online program is geared toward children in grades K–8 and their families, but all are welcome! You will learn about the ecoEXPLORE project during the program. FREE.
Virtual ecoEXPLORE: Botany roundup!
Monday, April 29, 3–4 p.m.
Join this free virtual program to see some of the coolest plant observations from this season, learn what new species have been found and check out what plant species are still needed from ecoEXPLORE! Registration is through the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.
Virtual ecoEXPLORE: Totally Turtles
Friday, May 31, 3-4 pm
There are about 20 species of turtles in North Carolina. Join this virtual program to learn what makes them all special and how to tell them all apart! Registration is through the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.
Become a Junior Park Explorer!
Do you like to explore parks and preserves? Do you like winning prizes? Our Junior Park Explorers program is for you! Learn more here.
Take a Self-guided Mobile Tour
Check out the Historic Yates Mill Mobile Tour and learn about the history of the 200-year-old grist mill, as well as the lives of the people who lived and worked in the area.
Self-guided Activities for the Family!
Self-Guided Activities: For all ages (adult accompaniment is required for all children); FREE. Stop by the visitor center anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to pick up nature journals, activity packs, coloring sheets, and more!
Exploration Station: These temporary displays are located inside the A.E. Finley Center in the exhibit hall area. Registration is not required. FREE.
Exploration Station: Mussel Mania
May 10-19, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Yates Mill is home to many incredible animals, including freshwater mussels! Unfortunately, mussel species in Raleigh are endangered. NC State researchers have been hard at work to ensure these species can survive. Join us learn more about these species and how we can help endangered species as a whole. This self-guided exhibit will be available inside the A.E. Finley Center from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. FREE.
Self-Guided StoryWalks®
Join us for this fun, self-guided activity, which will start at the parking lot kiosk near the Visitor Center and end near the mill. The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. This wonderful program combines the joy of reading a story while also getting out and enjoying nature.
New to the StoryWalk® concept? Laminated pages from a children's book are attached to signs, which are installed along an outdoor path. As you stroll down the trail, you're directed to the next page in the story. The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.
StoryWalk®: "Rabbits & Raindrops," April 2–30
StoryWalk®: "The Honeybee," May 3–30
Everyone's Welcome
Historic Yates Mill County Park welcomes all visitors and affirms its commitment to offering programs and services that are accessible to everyone. We will make every effort to ensure that visitors of all abilities are fully included in all our programs and facilities. Check back regularly to see what new opportunities become available!
For questions about our accessibility resources or how we may best meet your needs in any of our programs, please contact the park at 919-856-6675 or yatesmill@wake.gov.